


Forest Children

by iaintafraidofnoghostbear



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Flash Fic, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-08
Updated: 2019-07-08
Packaged: 2020-06-24 10:46:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19722097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iaintafraidofnoghostbear/pseuds/iaintafraidofnoghostbear
Summary: Nolan goes on his first run with the Flyers pack.





	Forest Children

“Just stay with the pack. You’ll be fine. And if you get separated, for whatever reason, stop and howl for us, but stay put. We’ll find you.” Claude glances over the team one more time, most of them twitchy with eagerness in their seats before he smiles. “Let’s go.” 

They pile out, stripping out of their clothes and stashing them in the underbelly of the bus. Already, Travis and Ivan are picking at each other, and Nolan is torn between following them and sticking close to Claude. 

“Go ahead,” Claude nudges. “TK and Ivan know where we can run. Just -” 

“Stay close. Got it.” 

The rest of the vets split up the young guys in a sort of unspoken buddy-system. Claude leads them into the dark of the forest, shifting as he crosses the tree line and they all follow suit. It feels good just to be in his pelt; Nolan hasn’t had a real run since summer, what with the surgery and draft and the last moon falling during an away game. He’s sure he’s never felt so miserable as he did locked up in his hotel room with Travis, both of them pacing restlessly. Now, he’s hard-pressed to keep himself in check, paws dancing across the cold earth as he weaves around his new pack. 

Claude takes off at a run at last, the team fanning out behind him. Someone - Jake, Nolan thinks - clips his shoulder, teasing and bounding away when Nolan tries to retaliate. The mood shifts when Claude catches wind of deer, and the pack splits, rookies behind the vets as they give chase. Blood spikes in the air, salty copper making Nolan’s mouth water and he waits his turn anxiously, chasing Travis in bounding circles until one of the older pack nudges them toward the felled deer. 

He, Ivan, and Travis eat side by side; it’s not enough to fill them all, but they have all night to hunt. Ivan takes down the next one, practiced skill dragging it to the ground. He gets first dibs and an approving lick from Shayne. Things slow down as the pack gets its fill, and things turn lazily playful. Travis keeps running through the creek they’re following, coming back dripping and shaking his fur out in a spray over the rest of the team. Claude finally pounces on him, growling as he wrestles with Travis through the grass. Nolan hangs back, closer to Ivan who nuzzles at him reassuringly.

Eventually, Travis surrenders, licking at Claude’s chin until the older wolf lets him up. He comes bounding right back toward Nolan and tries to get him and Ivan to give chase. Nolan takes him up on it even though he’s feeling lazy with food and all the running they’ve done so far. 

Travis isn’t as long-limbed even in wolf form, but he’s still light and speedy, zipping through the brush. It only takes tumbling over a felled branch for Nolan to lose him. Picking himself up, he scents the ground, trying to figure out where Travis went; their scents are everywhere in the immediate area, though, and Nolan can’t follow. He doesn’t hear Travis anymore, or the pack for that matter, and the thought of it makes his heart race. 

_ Not lost _ , Nolan tells himself.  _ Find the pack. Not lost. _

Following his nose, he chases Claude’s scent, heavier than each of the other pack members. He follows it right back to one of their kills, and his nose immediately gets overwhelmed by the scent of blood and the scavenger creatures his presence sends skittering off into the brush. Nolan lopes in the direction he’s sure they went, but when he sticks his nose to the ground, all the can find is the scent of rabbit, badger, bird. 

Panic actually sets in, then; he’s not sure where the safe areas are, how close they were to the invisible boundary lines. He could be in danger here, and Claude’s words ring in his ears. Sitting back on his haunches, Nolan howls, the high tenor echoing through the trees. There’s only a split second of silence before a low howl echoes back, the chorus of the pack echoing behind.

Claude. Nolan wants to run to him, but Claude has said to stay put. That low howl comes again, closer now, and Nolan answers it. Relief and a touch of embarrassment sweep over him when Claude finally appears between the trees, Wayne at his flank and Coots not far behind. Nolan whines in apology, dropping to his belly but Claude just nuzzles his face. 

Human hands sink into Nolan’s fur. Nolan looks up to find Travis crouching next to him, looking worried. 

“Sorry, Patty. I didn’t mean to lose you. I just - I looked back and you were gone. Are you okay?” 

Nolan whuffles a little, sticking his cold nose against Travis’ chest. He licks at Travis’ chin and wags his tail, finally sensing the tension in Travis ease. Travis shifts in a blink and he stays close to Nolan as the pack filters back into the woods. 

They sleep by the river. Travis is sandwiched between Nolan and Ivan so they can keep each other warm against the cool breeze coming off the water. Jake nudges them awake at dawn so they make the trek back to the road to meet the bus. The driver doesn’t even seem to flinch at the sight of them; they’re naked, stained with blood and covered with mud and leaves. They shake off what they can, rinsing off a bit with bottles of water from the bus. 

Nolan curls up next to Ivan on the ride back and lets his friend pick twigs and grass out of his hair. He’s content like this, the joy of pack thrumming quietly under his skin. It’s not a surprise when Travis asks about them hanging out, and even less of a surprise when all three of them pile onto Ivan’s big bed in their fur to catch up on their sleep. 


End file.
